Sex differences in the cytoarchitecture of midbrain dopamine system

Parkinson’s disease is a neurological disorder that involves progressive loss of dopamine-producing cells in the midbrain. Clinical studies have shown that men are approximately one-and-a-half times more likely to suffer from Parkinson’s disease than women, but the reasons for this sex difference are not well understood. This project will examine the midbrain dopamine systems of male and female rodents at adolescence and adulthood, aiming to identify possible explanations why men are more susceptible to Parkinson’s than women and possibly direct future drug development.